


Safe Haven

by Julliette



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-09-14 00:10:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9148249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julliette/pseuds/Julliette
Summary: A father and his two children land in the seaside town of Arkadia where his bond with the local doctor may put them all in danger.*Multi-chapter AU inspired by the Nicholas Sparks novel*





	1. Chapter 1

As Dr. Abigail Griffin took inventory of the small supply room of the only doctor’s office in Arkadia a gust of sea breeze blew through the open windows, rippling through the long honey colored hair she had released from the confines of her ponytail seconds after her last patient of the day was out the door. She sighed heavily as the salty air swirled around her, Abby’s gaze drifting away from the vials in front of her to the sunny afternoon that awaited her outside. It was a position she found herself in most afternoons. Arkadia was a small town, beautiful but small. And with a fairly large hospital two towns over taking care of the major emergencies, Abby’s day was usually over by one o’clock. Left to her own devices most days, Abby usually found herself filling patient reports, faxing insurance companies, taking inventory, and staring out the storeroom window at just the right angle so she could catch a glimpse of the waves crashing against the shore.

         She could see the tourists walking along the beach with their shoes in their hands. It was mid-May and the influx of tourists looking for a weekend getaway was just beginning. Abby smiled as she watched children racing down to the ocean and then back up the beach so the water never touches their toes. Seagulls swirled overhead, keeping a watchful eye for any dropped treats they could snatch. 

         “Mom, I’m here,” Clarke Griffin called as she walked into the reception area. Abby was quickly snapped out of her reverie and glanced down at her watch, realizing she’d spent the better part of an hour staring.

         “I’m in the supply room,” Abby replied and soon Clarke appeared, tossing her backpack on the floor and plopping down in the swivel chair next to her mother.

         “So how was the last day of school?” Abby asked, pushing away her clipboard and turning her attention to her daughter.

         “It was awesome. Harper brought in cupcakes and Jasper ate like seven, ran around the classroom a few times and then fell asleep at his desk. And then Murphy drew a mustache on him and Mr. Pike didn’t even notice.” Abby listened intently while her daughter recounted the events of her day.

         “And then Monty and Jasper— “

         “Can we get some help??” a young girls voice called as the jingle of the reception bell sounded. Abby shot up from her seat and rushed out, Clarke right on her heals.

         Standing uncomfortably in the doorway was a man, clearly in pain, with two children, a boy and a girl, with their arms wrapped around his midsection, helping him balance. Abby’s eyes immediately flew to the blood soaked pant leg that was clinging to him and then the faces of the two children holding on onto him that were covered in fear.

         “I can take him from here,” Abby said as she moved towards the trio, taking the girls place. The girl eyed her hesitantly but relinquished her hold on the man Abby assumed to be her father when he spoke.

         “Octavia, I’ll be fine. You wait out here okay?”

         Octavia nodded and took one of the chairs. Clarke moved to sit next to her and Abby was immediately filled with maternal pride.

         The man put his arm over her shoulders and she could tell he wasn’t putting very much weight on her or the boy beside him.

         “Let’s take him to the first room on the left,” Abby said to the boy. He nodded and they led the man to one of the examination rooms. When the man was situated on the table he turned to the boy.

         “Bellamy, why don’t you go sit with your sister? I’ll be fine.”

         “Okay,” Bellamy replied hesitantly before leaving the room. Once the door closed behind him, Abby put on latex gloves, grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting away the jeans that were soaked in red.

         “So how did this happen…?”

         “Marcus. I just bought the cottage on Wells St. and it’s kind of an old house. We were painting and I fell off the ladder and my foot went through the floor board,” Marcus explained while Abby finished removing the material and taking a good look at the wound.

         “I’m glad someone finally bought that place. It’s been sitting empty for years. What color are you painting it?”

         “Yellow. Octavia picked it out.” He smiled when he spoke and it became quite apparent to Abby just how much he cared for his children.

         There was a five-inch gash that ran up Marcus’s right knee to his mid-thigh that was fairly deep and bleeding, but relatively slowly.

         “This is going to need stitches. But first let me numb the area.”

         “Oh no numbing. It’s fine I can manage without it.”

         “Are you sure?”

         “Positive.”

         “Okay then,” Abby said, reaching into a cupboard and pulling out a needle and thread. When she turned around Marcus’s face had visibly paled. “Not a fan of needles?”

         “No. I prefer to keep my distance,” Marcus swallowed.

         “Well, don’t worry. It will be over before you know it. Just don’t look. Abby threaded the needle with skilled hands and began to work. Marcus’s eyes turned towards the ceiling and Abby could see his jaw clench every few seconds.

         “How old are your kids?” Abby asked hoping to distract Marcus and she sewed his leg.

         “Bellamy is thirteen and Octavia almost ten.”

         “My daughter Clarke is ten.”

         “She looks just like you,” Marcus said. Abby looked up from his wound and found him staring intently at her. She held his gaze for only a few seconds before finishing up the last few stitches.

         “See I told you it would be over before you know it. Let me just clean it up a little then you can be on your way.”

         “Thank you for this,” Marcus said.

         ***

         Outside the examination room Bellamy was sitting with his arm around his sister trying to calm her down. Clarke was on the other side of Octavia and had taken the girl’s hand in her own.

         “O, he is going to be just fine,” Bellamy said.

         “Yeah, my mom is a great doctor. She’ll fix him up in no time,” Clarke added.

         “I know. I know,” Octavia replied. “It’s just that there was a lot of blood.”

         “He’s gonna need a few stitches,” Clarke informed Octavia. Working with her mom on the weekends had given Clarke a pretty good understanding of basic injuries.

         “I’ve not seen you two around town before,” Clarke said, doing her best to change the subjects when she noticed Octavia’s face pale when she mentioned stitches.

         “We just moved here,” Bellamy replied.

         “Where did you guys move from?”

         “Illinois,” Bellamy replied quickly.

         “How far away is that?”

         Octavia cast a worried glance at Bellamy who kept his eyes on a fixed spot on the carpet.

         “Ummm…I’m not sure. We made a lot of stops along the way.”

         “Oh okay. I used to live in Boston,” Clarke said, oblivious to the tension that was hanging in the air or the sigh Bellamy released when Clarke didn’t question his answer.

         “When did you move here?” Octavia asked, finally finding her voice again.

         “Four years ago. After my dad died.”

         “Oh, sorry,” the siblings said in unison.

         “That’s okay. It was a long time ago.” The trio fell into silence. Bellamy keeping his eyes on the floor, Octavia using her free hand to fidget with the hem of her jean shorts and Clarke with her eyes on the door Abby and Marcus disappeared behind.

***

         When the door finally opened and Marcus limped out on crutches Octavia let out an audible gasp and her grip on Clarke’s hand tightened. Marcus’s eyes met his daughters and he offered her a reassuring smile.

         “I’m alright, Octavia. These are just so I don’t pull my stitches. I’ll only need them for a day or two.”

         Octavia let out a shaky breath and nodded but she remained anchored to her seat while Abby lead Marcus over to the desk.

         “So I’ll just need your insurance card,” Abby said. Marcus’s brow furrowed as he leaned in.

         “I…um…don’t have any insurance.”

         “That’s okay. Then with nine stitches, and no numbing agent your total will be four hundred and twenty-three dollars.”

         “That can’t be right. I got stitches in my arm a few years ago and it was more than a thousand dollars,” Marcus said, completely confused.

         “This is a small office with relatively low doctors’ fees. And you declined pain medication. Plus, we take off thirty percent for patients without any insurance. We know how tough it can be.”

         All of the features on Marcus’s face softened.

         “I can’t thank you enough for that,” Marcus said sincerely. Abby smiled in response as Marcus pulled out a white envelope and pulled out four one hundred dollar bills and one fifty, placing it on the counter and sliding it over. Abby couldn’t help but notice that there weren’t many more bills left in the envelope. Abby unlocked a drawer of the desk and retrieved change, before passing the remaining bills back to Marcus. He put them back in the envelope and returned it to his pocket.

         “Ok, you’re all set,” Abby smiled.

         “Thank you. Again,” Marcus replied before turning around to the children.

         “Nice jorts,” Bellamy said, earning a laugh from Octavia.

         “Yeah, I think I’m gonna stick with this look,” Marcus said, this time earning a laugh from Abby.

         “Will you be able to paint?” Octavia asked.

         “Not for a little while.”

         Abby watched as Octavia’s face dropped.

         “We can help,” Clarke chimed in, noticing Octavia’s disappointment as well, and looking at her mom with wide eyes for approval.

         “If you want that is,” Abby remedied.

         Marcus hesitated for a moment, ready to decline, but then when he saw the hopeful look of both Bellamy and Octavia’s faces he began to think otherwise.

         “Please Marcus,” Octavia begged.

         “Please Marcus,” Bellamy added.

         “That would be nice,” Marcus finally relented.

         “Yay,” Clarke exclaimed.

         “We will be over tomorrow,” Abby said.

         “See you then,” Marcus replied before ushering Bellamy and Octavia out the door.

         “They seem nice,” Clarke whispered to her mother once the trio was out of sight.


	2. Chapter 2

The cottage on Wells St. was…quaint…if Abby was being generous. The one-bedroom shack had sat empty for roughly the last five years but as Abby and Clarke walked up the long gravel driveway, they could see that time had really taken its toll. The cottage was situated on the edge of the county and trees encircled the property, separating it from the rest of the town. Ivy looked to be slowly overtaking the structure and on the portions that weren’t being masked by the green plant, the paint had weathered away leaving splotches of brown behind.

         “They’re going to have to do a lot of painting,” Clarke whispered to her mother when the entirety of the house came into view.

         “Be nice,” Abby scolded.

         “It was just an observation.”

         Clarke wasn’t wrong, Abby thought to herself as they got closer to the home. Marcus was going to have to do a lot of painting. Abby, if she was being honest, was a little worried about what was inside as they approached. If it looked anything like the outside, she might have had to invite Marcus, Octavia, and Bellamy to stay with her until they could renovate more.

         Abby caught a glimpse of a figure moving in the window as they got closer but they disappeared quickly. They must have seen her because a few seconds later Octavia ran out the door and onto the wrap around porch.

         “Hi Clarke! Hi Dr. Griffin!” Octavia said excitedly. Living in a house with only boys had left her with a desperate desire to interact with other girls. And although her interaction with Clarke was brief, Octavia believed they could be good friends.

         “Hi Octavia,” the Griffin ladies replied in unison as they moved up the steps.

         “Marcus and Bellamy are inside. Follow me,” Octavia said leading them inside.

         The inside of the cottage wasn’t as bad as the outside. The paint was peeling off the walls but other than that the furniture seemed to be in fairly good shape.

         “Most of the stuff was here when we got here,” Octavia explained, motioning to the wicker couch and stocked bookshelf that were sitting inside the entrance. “When we got here there were white sheets over everything. It was super dusty and super creepy. But Marcus got most of it cleaned up. She led them into the kitchen where Bellamy had already gotten to work while Marcus was seated at the small linoleum table giving him instructions. When Marcus noticed the ladies he moved to stand but Abby promptly stopped him.

         “This should be elevated,” Abby said walking over to Marcus. She pulled a chair closer to him and carefully lifted his leg so that his knee was supported.

         “You didn’t have to do that,” Marcus said once she’d stepped back to examine her work.

         “I am a doctor. Yes, I did.”

         “Thank you then.”

         “Anytime,” Abby smiled. “I love the yellow.”

         “Thanks!” Octavia said. “It reminds me of sunshine.”

         “What’s the tool belt for?” Bellamy asked.

         “To fix the floor your father’s foot went through,” Abby explained.

         “You’re gonna fix the floor?” Abby noted the skepticism in Octavia’s voice and raised an eyebrow at the girl.

         “I’m handier than I look,” Abby said. Marcus let out a chuckle and Abby whirled around, shooting him a glare. “What?”

         “The tool belt suits you.”

         “That’s more like it. Now let’s get to work.”

         Abby turned to survey the room. Half of the wall area was a dirty white while the other half was a clean, bright yellow. Abby admired their choice of color. There was a small sink and an oven and next to them both was a hole in the floor. Abby approached the hole and gazed down at the grass visible underneath the house.

         “Your handiwork?” Abby asked looking at Marcus.

         “Guilty,” he replied. “We got that wall about done before I fell. The edges just need to be cleaned up.”

         “Clarke, you’re the artist so you finish up the trim. I will work on fixing the floor. Bellamy and Octavia, you two work on that wall,” Abby commanded. 

         “Yes sir,” Clarke said before grabbing a paint brush and climbing up the ladder. Bellamy and Octavia were close behind. Abby too grabbed a hammer and got to work.

***

         Marcus was bored out of his mind. They had been working for the better part of three hours and to both Abby and Marcus’s surprise the kids had been surprisingly helpful. With his leg still throbbing, despite taking numerous Advil, there was little Marcus could do to help. So he sat back and observed, happy that Octavia and Bellamy had found someone their age they could talk to. They’d been moving around a lot and Marcus could tell the siblings were getting tired of him and each other. And Clarke, like her mother, seemed like a bright young girl they would have no problem getting along with.

         And, if he was being honest, Marcus was happy to have another adult to talk to. Despite how much he loved the kids, Marcus was tired of hearing about _The Hunger Games_ and Taylor Swift. There was also the small factor that he found Abby incredibly attractive and smart and funny but that was a small matter he resolved not to think about.

         They made small talk occasionally. Marcus felt, because he wasn’t working, it was his job to keep the conversation going. Marcus asked Clarke about her favorite spots around town. Abby quizzed the kids on their favorite movies and books. Clarke asked about what grades they were in and what subjects they liked in school. But the conversation could only last so long and Octavia quickly grew tired of the only sounds being the brushing of paint along the wall. So she disappeared for a little and returned with a small radio. She set it up on the table next to Marcus with the warning “do not touch this or else” and Marcus, well aware not to cross the eight-year-old when she had that look in her eye, did not dare to change the station.         

         They all took breaks periodically, Marcus always ready to refill their glasses of lemonade, and were able to repair the hole in the floor and finish painting the walls in the kitchen.    

         “Why don’t we get dinner?” Marcus asked when he noticed the groups slowed movements and tired eyes.

         “Please,” Octavia said laying down her paintbrush and attempting to wash the small patch of yellow that had gotten caught in the tips of her hair. “I was ready to be done an hour ago.”

         “Pizza?” Bellamy asked, throwing his paintbrush down in the sink with a satisfying thud.

         “I like pizza. Clarke?” Abby asked turning to her daughter. Out of the entire group Clarke had taken the least number of breaks and was the only one of the still painting. Her eyes were narrowed in as the small brush cleaned up the details.

         “Clarke?” Abby asked again when she didn’t respond.

         “Hmm?” Clarke lifted her head from her task of painting the trim around the window, oblivious to their conversation.

         “Pizza for dinner?”

         “Sounds great. But let me finish this up first.” Clarke furrowed her brow and began covering the only white space on the otherwise yellow wall. Bellamy and Octavia were surprised by her dedication and Marcus was downright impressed.

         “Artists,” Abby huffed.


	3. Chapter 3

Hatred blurred through the veins of Seattle Police Captain Thelonious Jaha as he sat behind his desk thumbing through the files that lay before him. It felt like he’d been there for hours, staring at the same face over and over again. The pictures mocked him, only building up the rage inside him. Sighing exasperated, he opened the top right door of the large mahogany desk and pulled a small flask from the back corner. Unscrewing the tin lid, he took a swig, relishing in the burning it left down his throat and how it seemed to dull the pounding of his head, but put it back quickly before anyone noticed. Not only was drinking on the job a punishable offense but it was also nine in the morning and he really couldn’t deal with the pity stares.

         _The Seattle Times_ was laid out underneath the files. He’d read and reread the same article over and over again. The article the nearly destroyed everything he’d been working towards for years. Names, dates, payments all there. Frustration over taking him he balled up the paper and threw it into the bin next to his desk, letting out a shout of anger as the words landed amidst the other garbage.

         Jaha caught a glimpse of the picture of his son on the corner of his desk and the ten-year-old smiling up at him helped Jaha calm down slightly. He didn’t want to be at work. He wanted to go home, open up a beer, kick off his shoes, and sit back and watch it all unfold in front of him. But despite his desires, he knew he had to show up and so he did.  

         He resumed rereading the files, silently kicking himself for being so stupid. The weight that he was able to lose Marcus Kane had been weighing on his mind for months. Jaha laid his head down on his desk momentarily and closed his eyes, trying to imagine anywhere in the world Kane may have been. A knock at the door broke his thoughts.

         “Sir,” a young detective said walking into the office. “We’ve got a lead on Marcus Kane.”

***

         Arkadia, given its size, had a limited amount of dining options. There was the local fish joint, with the best Po’boy in all of North Carolina, that most of the tourists frequented on their drive through town. A little diner where all the old folks went on Sunday mornings after church. An ice cream parlor next to the small coffee shop that just so happened to house Abby’s favorite chocolate chip muffins. A general store where the locals did their grocery shopping. And a small pizza place run by the only Italian in town.

         It was a small setup with the interior being everything one would expect from an Italian restaurant. There were about six tables in the center with four booths lining each wall. A small stage was positioned at the front of the restaurant where they hosted karaoke on Thursday nights and senior bingo every Tuesday. The windows wrapped around the entire dining area and if you got a table on the right side, the ocean was visible. Each and every table was equipped with red and white checkered table clothes, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. A brick oven occupied most of the kitchen and pizza could be smelt for a mile.

         There were only a few people in the restaurant when Abby, Marcus, Bellamy, Octavia and Clarke walked in so they were able to get a booth on the right side. Octavia slid across the red vinyl first and when Bellamy moved to follow she stopped him immediately.

         “I want to sit by Clarke!” she explained. Clarke smiled and sat next to Octavia, Bellamy following. Abby and Marcus sat next to each other across the table.

         “So we’ve never been here,” Marcus explained. “What’s good?”

         “Everything,” Clarke replied. Marcus laughed and looked at Abby who was staring at him stone-faced.

         “She’s not kidding. Everything is good here,” Abby said seriously.

         “But what’s the best?” Bellamy asked.

         “Pepperoni,” the Griffin’s said in unison.

         “Pepperoni it is then,” Marcus said closing his menu.

         It was then their waiter appeared. He was a man around Abby and Marcus’s age with dark hair just starting to grey around the edges and a black apron tied around his waist, pen and pad in hand.

         “Clarke. Dr. Griffin. How are you ladies this evening?”

         “Good, Vinnie,” Clarke replied.

         “And who is joining you today?” Vinnie said looking at Marcus with something that closely resembling disdain lurking in his eyes.

         “This is Bellamy, Octavia, and Marcus,” Abby answered resting her hand on Marcus’s shoulder when she’d said his name. “They just moved to town.”

         “The Wells St. place?”

         “That’s the one,” Marcus replied. “How did you know?”

         “Word gets around here fast,” Abby said.

         “So what are we thinking about for dinner?”

         The group gave their orders and Vinnie disappeared to the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with their drinks, and then moving to other tables.

         “He’s the owner’s son,” Abby informed Marcus when Vinnie was out of earshot.

         “I see.”

         “It’s a small town. Everybody knows everybody. And most people have lived here their entire lives.”

         “Have you?” Marcus asked.

         “No. Clarke and I moved here around three years ago.”

         “Why?”

         “My husband died. I needed a change of scenery. So Clarke and I packed up our things and just drove. We were planning on going Florida but we drove through this place and just stayed.” Abby looked over at Clarke to see how she reacted to the mention of her father but Clarke was to focused on her game of Tic-Tac-Toe with Bellamy to pay any attention to the conversation the adults were having.

         “Where did you live before?”

         “Boston. You?”

         “Illinois,” Octavia said not looking up from the drawing she was coloring on her menu.

         “Why did you move here?”

         “Change of scenery. My mother always wanted to move here. Not Arkadia specifically but somewhere in North Carolina. She passed away a few years ago so I thought it was finally the time to move out here since she never could. She used to tell me the best stories about the beach and how she and her brother would spend hours building these elaborate sandcastles and fishing in the ocean and flying kites at sunset. She used to get the best look in her eyes when she talked about it. It was like she was reliving it all over again. I just wish she could’ve gotten the chance to come back,” Marcus explained.

         “She sounds lovely,” Abby said.

         “You would have loved her. Everybody did.”

         “What about your wife?” Abby asked, immediately regretting the question as soon as it left her lips.

         “He doesn’t have a wife,” Octavia said, still not looking up.

         “She didn’t ask you Big Ears. I swear she never acts like she’s listening but always has something to add. Anyway, I’ve never been married,” Marcus said.

         “Oh I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed…” Abby said, her face growing red with every word.

         “It’s alright. I actually adopted Bellamy and Octavia.”

         “Oh wow that’s— “

         Abby was cut off by the arrival of their pizzas.

         “Wow,” Octavia exclaimed after taking her first bite.

         “Awesome,” Bellamy quickly followed.

         “Oh my gosh this is fantastic,” Marcus said, taking another bite of the slice he was holding.

         “We told you the pepperoni is good,” Clarke reminded them.

         “Us Griffin women have excellent taste in pizza. It’s in our blood,” Abby added. 

         They finished their pizza in relative silence, the only comments being about how spectacular the pizza was. When the bill arrived Marcus reached it first.

         “Marcus give me the check,” Abby said sternly.

         “No chance,” Marcus laughingly replied.

         “Then let me pay half.”

         “No, this is my thank you for coming over and helping us paint. You didn’t have to do that.”

         “It’s not a big deal. We had fun. Right Clarke?” Clarke nodded her agreement but was unwilling to get in the argument between the two adults. “Now let me pay our half.”

         Just as Abby finished her statement Vinnie passed the table and Marcus practically shoved the money in his hands. The waiter looked startled but only smiled when he noticed the glare Abby was casting on the man sitting beside her. He knew best to disappear quickly.

         Marcus could feel the heat of Abby’s glare against the back of his neck. He turned around slowly, an innocent look painted across his face. Abby opened her mouth to speak but Vinnie returned with the change, whisking away the groups empty plates as he departed.

         “So are will all finished?” Marcus asked, throwing a tip on the table. Abby was still glaring. He wasn’t sure if she’d blinked at all.

         “Yup,” the three kids replied in unison, sliding out of the booth one by one. Marcus and Abby were quick to follow.

         “Thank you for dinner Marcus,” Clarke said.

         “Your welcome,” Marcus replied. “Thank you for telling me how great the pepperoni pizza is.”        

         “Any time.”

         The group was halfway out the door when Vinnie appeared.

         “Hey Abby, can I borrow you for a second?” he asked.

         “Sure what’s up?” she replied, motioning for them to head outside.

         Marcus ushered the kids out the door and they all sat down on one of the benches outside the building.

         “What do you think they’re talking about?” Octavia not-so-subtly whispered.

         “He has a crush on my mom,” Clarke replied nonchalantly.

         “Really?” Marcus replied, his voice coming out a little higher than he would have liked.

         “Oh yeah. He talks to her a lot whenever we are here. And always tries to make her laugh.”

         Marcus cast a glance over his shoulder and through the window he could see Vinnie and Abby talking. Vinnie was standing close to Abby was saying something that had Abby laughing. Marcus couldn’t help the jealously that bubbled inside him, despite his best attempts.

         “Does she…um…does she like him?”

         “I don’t really know.”

         “Here she comes,” Bellamy said when he noticed Abby moving towards the restaurant door.

         When Abby emerged four pairs of eyes were looking at her expectantly.

         “What?” Abby asked confused.

         “What was that about?” Octavia asked.

         “Octavia,” Marcus scolded.

         “We were all wondering…” the girl countered.

         “It was nothing. He just had a couple questions.”

         “Okay, are you ready to head out then,” Marcus asked, eager to change the subject.

         “Yup, let’s go,” Abby replied.

***

         On the walk back to the cottage, Marcus hobbled on his crutches between Octavia and Bellamy who were animatedly describing to him the beach day they wanted to take the next weekend. Abby and Clarke lagged behind, walking hand in hand.

         “Did Vinnie ask you on a date?” Clarke whispered to her mother.

         “How did you know?” Abby asked her daughter, constantly impressed with what the ten-year-old picked up on.

         “It’s obvious he has a crush on you, Mom,” Clarke answered.

         “Well then yes he did ask me out on a date. Happy?”

         “Did you say yes?”

         “I said I’d think about it.”

         “Why?”

         “Why so many questions?” Abby asked, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair out of Clarke’s face with her free hand.

         “I just want you to be happy.”

         “Oh baby, you make me as happy as I could ever be,” Abby said, stopping and wrapping her daughter in her arms.

         “Well I know that,” Clarke replied as though what Abby said was the most obvious thing in the world. Abby released her daughter and let out a hearty laugh as they sped up to catch up with the rest of their group.

         Marcus, who had been listening to a majority of the Griffin’s conversation, smiled at Clarke’s response.

         “Marcus…Marcus…See Bell I told you he’s not even listening,” Octavia said to her brother while attempting to wave her hand in front of Marcus’s face but coming up short.

         “I’m listening,” Marcus said snapping back to the conversation.

         “Oh really, what did O’ just say?” Bellamy asked raising an eyebrow.

         “She said that we need to bring a bucket to collect the shells she finds on the beach.”

         “You’re right I did say that…five minutes ago. I was saying we need to plan our sandcastle before we get to the beach.”

         “Oh I love sandcastles!” Clarke exclaimed when she and Abby caught up to the trio.

         “You should come to the beach with us on Saturday. Marcus please can Clarke come to the beach? Please?” Octavia begged.

         “If it’s alright with her mother it’s alright with me,” Marcus said glancing over at Abby. “You can come to if you’d like?” he added.

         “That sounds like fun. We’d love to,” Abby said.

         “Good,” Marcus said as they approached the cottage. “Well this is our stop. Thank you again for helping us.”          

         “Like I said Marcus, it was no problem. And thank you for dinner,” Abby replied.

         “Anytime.”

         “See you on Saturday.”

         “The town is small Marcus. I guarantee we will run into you before then.”

         Abby smiled as Marcus laughed as he ushered the kids up the long gravel drive. They waited until the trio was out of sight, but just before they disappeared from view, Marcus turned around and, when he saw Abby still standing there, gave a small smile and wave. Abby waved back as he disappeared into the trees and turned to find Clarke staring at her with wide eyes.

         “What?” Abby asked.

         “Nothing,” Clarke replied, but even at ten she could tell that there was something between her mom and Marcus, even if she didn’t quite know what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think so far!


	4. Chapter 4

“Where are you going again?” Octavia grumbled while she sat at the kitchen table, her mouth filled with cereal.

         “To try and get a job,” Marcus explained to Octavia for the second time that morning, but he should have known that telling her right when she woke up would result in her asking again fifteen minutes later.

         “Where?”

         “The little grocery store across from the pizza place. Go wake up your brother.”

         Octavia rose from the table and disappeared into one of the back rooms. Marcus walked over to the mirror without his crutches. He finished buttoning his collared shirt looked in the mirror. He ran a hand through his hair, attempting to make his appearance more presentable but the beard that was forming on his jawline was making it more difficult. Marcus made a mental note to pick up a new razor when he went into town.

         Octavia reappeared in the kitchen, Bellamy following close behind, strands of his dark hair sticking up in all directions, sleep still evident in his face.

         “Bell, I am going out. You’re in charge, okay. Don’t open the door for anyone. Don’t leave the house. Don’t use the stove. If you need anything, call me,” Marcus instructed while Bellamy nodded. “Octavia listen to your brother. Okay, any questions?”

         Both kids shook their heads.

         “Good. I will call you when I’m on my way home.” Marcus fussed with Bellamy’s hair and Octavia wrapped her arms around Marcus. He planted a kiss in her hair. “Have fun with your brother.”

         Marcus headed out the door.

***

         Getting a job was easier than Marcus had anticipated. The owner of the store, Rodger, was an older man who was looking for someone to take over for him. The hours were reasonable and the pay was a little more than Marcus expected. It wasn’t the most exciting job but Marcus knew he could do it well enough and Rodger had even told Marcus it was alright if his kids helped out a few times a week.

         Marcus was able to work the rest of the afternoon, Rodger showing him how everything went, and closed the store around 6:30. He thought it was incredibly early but Rodger had told him all the locals got there shopping done early and the last bus came through town around four.

         The trip back to the cottage from the store was not too long, Marcus mused as he walked along the gravel road. Without his crutches, the trek was easier and the pain in his leg was fairly manageable. Plus, the warm, sunny weather was much different than what he was used to and the sunlight shining through the trees made walk much more enjoyable.

         He passed the doctor’s office and through the window he could see Abby sitting in one of the windows that looked towards the water. Her face was resting on her hands and she appeared to be writing. A small grin appeared on his lips as he came up with an idea.

         Marcus walked through the grass towards the building, crouching as he approached the wall so she wouldn’t see him. He could make out the sound of her humming but he couldn’t remember what song it was. Just when he was in position, Marcus jumped up and knocked on the window. Abby gasped and dropped the pencil she was holding, her hand flying to her heart instead. When she realized who it was she immediately broke into laughter, motioning for Marcus to come inside. He smiled and moved towards the door, glad he was correct in his assessment of her humor.

         “You scared the shit out of me,” she said when he came through the door.

         “Sorry about that,” Marcus replied laughingly. “It was an opportunity too good to pass up.”

         “I understand. I just hope you realize that I will get even. You will not know when. You will not know where. But trust me I will get revenge.” Abby’s tone was serious but Marcus noticed the glint of laughter in her eyes and knew the best response was to smile.

         “You looked bored. I could see you from the street.”

         “I am bored. There’s only so much inventory a person can do. How’s your leg?”

         “Great. Walking doesn’t bother it as much as I expected.”

         “Good…Clarke is really excited about the beach on Saturday. She and Octavia seemed to really get along well.”

         “I’m glad. I worry Octavia doesn’t get enough female interaction when she’s stuck with Bellamy and me all the time.”

         “Well she’s lovely. You’re doing great with her,” Abby said softly. She looked up and caught Marcus’s gaze. He was smiling and Abby felt something flutter in the pit of her stomach.

         “Thank you,” Marcus replied and Abby felt the blush rise in her cheeks. They were silent for a moment but their eye contact remained steady. A few moments passed before Marcus cleared his throat.

         “Well I should be going. The kids are expecting me.”

         “Right. Clarke and I will see you on Saturday then.”

         “See you on Saturday,” Marcus replied as he left the supply room. Outside he glanced back at the window and saw Abby watching him. He smiled and she returned the look. Marcus was unsure about what had occurred between them but it was definitely something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, short chapter here but longer ones are coming I promise! As always I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	5. Chapter 5

Saturday came faster than anticipated. Octavia’s excitement was tangible as she bounced all over the house. Marcus could barely get her to stop talking. Bellamy attempted to act cool but Marcus could tell as Bellamy triple checked everything that he was just as excited as Octavia. And Marcus, if he was being honest with himself, was looking forward to the beach day almost as much as the kids. He kept telling himself it wasn’t because he could potentially see Abby Griffin in a swimsuit but every time he thought about it, Marcus checked the time again.

            They showed up to the Griffin’s residence around noon, their arms full of supplies.  Marcus had a backpack on and a chair. Octavia’s arms were full of buckets and shovels that she planned to use for “the biggest and best sandcastle the world has ever seen”. And Bellamy had a cooler and his own chair strapped to his back. The trio didn’t even make it up to the porch before Clarke came bounding down the steps, buckets and shovels in hand, with the sunscreen on her face only partially rubbed in.

            “Clarke get back here!” Abby yelled from somewhere inside the house before appearing at the door. When she saw the group in her yard she smiled, her eyes immediately finding Marcus’s and he told himself he was just imagining her smile getting a little bit wider.

            “Clarke you look ridiculous. Finish rubbing the sunscreen in on your face,” Abby instructed. Clarke, begrudgingly, did as she was told and rubbed the rest of the lotion into her skin. Abby nodded and retreated into the house, only to reappear moments later with a beach bag hanging from her shoulder and pair of sunglasses perched atop her head.

            “Ready?” Marcus asked.

            “Ready,” Abby replied, closing the door behind her.

            “Finally,” Octavia and Clarke sighed in unison. The two adults shared an exasperated smile and two the beach they went.

***

            The walk to the beach from the Griffin household was not long at all, which Marcus was especially thankful for because his leg was stiff and everything he was carrying did not make it any easier. But soon enough, the ocean was in sight and the white sand was beneath his feet and Octavia was running towards the water faster than he’d ever seen her move before. Clarke and Bellamy were not far behind, leaving Abby and Marcus alone in the rear.

            “We’ve lived here for four years and Clarke gets just as excited every time,” Abby said fondly as she watched Clarke shed her sandcastle supplies and raced waist deep into the water.

            “That’s a good trait to have. Clarke is a good kid.”

            “I like to think so. Here?” Abby asked, putting her beach bag down.

            “Works for me.” Marcus unloaded his supplies, set up his chair, laid out the towels and turned his head just in time to catch Abby heading towards the water, her cover-up abandoned in a heap along with the rest of her things and…and she was in a two piece.

            Now Marcus Kane was no saint. He had been with women before and seen them in even less but he couldn’t help but think that not one of them looked as absolutely stunning as Abby Griffin in that coral bikini as she sauntered towards the water. Marcus did his best from keeping his jaw dropping to the floor but if his mouth was slightly agape it was impossible to blame him. Her legs were longer than he'd expected and her skin was tanner and the way her honey colored hair cascaded down her shoulders in a mess of curls made it difficult for him to swallow. And Marcus knew he shouldn't be having this kind of reaction and that Abby was nothing more than a new friend when she turned back and noticed him staring her smile widened and there was a mischievous glint in her eye that made the tiniest bubble of hope erupt in Marcus's stomach he couldn't shake for the rest of the day.

Marcus followed her down to the shore where Octavia and Clarke were already waist deep in the ocean and Bellamy had his boogie board tethered to his wrist and was waiting for the right wave. Abby was standing at the water’s edge, letting the waves wash over her toes. Marcus took the spot next to her and did his best not to stare. There was a serene smile painted across Abby’s lips as she stared at the water, watching her daughter and Octavia playfully splash each other.

            “She misses her dad,” Abby said quietly. “She doesn’t say so but I can tell. It can get lonely, just the two of us. It’s nice to see her have so much fun.”

            “And what about you?”

            “I miss him too but Clarke makes it easier.” Abby turned her head slightly to see Marcus staring at her intently. She blushed and turned her gaze back to the water, unsure of what made her feel the need to practically pour her heart out to someone she just met. But that thought didn’t last long because when she looked back over at Marcus he was smiling at her and she smiled back.

***

            Marcus Kane was a sand-castle builder extraordinaire, in Clarke’s mind at least as she constantly praised his ingenious plans for the castle’s architecture. Octavia and Abby were stretched out on a beach towel watching the building unfold while Clarke sent Bellamy back and forth to bring back buckets of water.

            It was an accident, really, what happened next. The sand was uneven and the bucket of water was heavy. Bellamy couldn’t be blamed for tripping or for the water in the bucket to land solely on Marcus. Marcus took it exceedingly well, Abby thought to herself as she watched the exchange. Laughing and making a few empty threats towards Bellamy, Marcus sent him back for more water and rose from his place in the sand.

His grey tee-shirt was soaked through and rather than continuing to sit in the sand, Marcus removed the unwanted article of clothing. Abby watched eyes wide as Marcus lifted the shirt over his head. For a moment, she let her eyes wander over the expanse of his chest and the width of his shoulders. His upper body was more defined than she'd expected and his stomach, while not a six pack, was certainly toned.

Marcus cast a glance towards Abby and Octavia. Octavia had tears running down her face from laughing so hard. Abby quickly looked back at the small shapes she was drawing in the sand, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, while Octavia continued to laugh hysterically. Marcus walked over to their beach towel and rung out his damp shirt over Octavia's head, resulting in a loud shriek from the girl and a belly laugh from her father. Clarke and Abby laughed at the antics of the pair and once Octavia had stopped laughing Marcus returned to his spot in the sand minus the shirt. He and Clarke resumed their building as Bellamy dumped the water and took his blue bucket down the beach once more.

Clarke and Marcus were distracted when Octavia whispered to Abby.

“Do you like Marcus?”

Abby whirled towards her, confusion on her face and a blush in her cheeks. Octavia stared back at her with wide, innocent eyes and a small smile on her lips.

“Why do you ask?” Abby replied.

“It’s just that you’ve been kinda drooling since he took his shirt off…” Octavia said making a face of disgust.

“I have not been drooling…have I?” Abby whispered conspiratorially to Octavia. Octavia nodded. “Well Marcus and I are just friends for your information.”

“Okay,” Octavia responded. “You sure?”

“Yes I am sure.”

“Okay then,” Octavia said, seemingly satisfied with Abby’s answer.

“Any more questions?”

“Yeah, have you read _The Hunger Games_?”

                                                                     ***

Their beach day was coming to a close as the sun began to sink in the sky and the tide slowly climbed up the shore. Everyone was tanned and tired and ready for a shower as they shook the sand from their towels and packed up their buckets. The sand castle Marcus and Clarke spent a majority of the afternoon on was still standing, the mutli-level structure decorated with a myriad of seashells and twigs. Abby made them take pictures in front of it, despite Marcus’s protests. And when and old couple were walking by, Marcus ran the camera to them for a picture with all five of them.

“I want copies of those pictures when you get the chance,” Marcus said to Abby as they approached the Griffin residence.

“I’m surprised given how much you protested,” Abby responded laughing.

“I wasn’t protesting! I just wanted to make sure you got my good side,” Marcus said.

“What good side?” Bellamy asked, half asleep from behind them.

“Hey!” Marcus whirled around, feigning insult as they led Abby and Clarke to their front door. “Thanks for joining us.”

“Thanks for inviting us. See you around town,” Abby said opening the door and following Clarke inside.

“See you around town.”

“Oh and Marcus?” Abby said sticking her head out the door just before she closed it.

“Yeah?” He asking turning around while Octavia and Bellamy continued down the drive.

“From where I’m standing, all sides are pretty good.”

Abby quickly closed the door behind her, leaving Marcus smiling like an idiot on the walkway.

“Marcus come on!” Octavia called, clearly annoyed, from down the street.

And so, Marcus hustled to catch up with Bellamy and Octavia, a goofy grin plastered to his face the rest of the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we just pretend it hasn't been six months since I've updated? Great, thanks.

Abby Griffin’s teenage years had been relatively easy. She had the luxury of being beautiful. It was as simple as that. And when that beauty was paired with her fun personality and rapier wit, there was something about young Abigail Walter that left the boys at her high school trailing behind her everywhere she went, leaving Abby with plans every Saturday night.

In college, Jake Griffin lived down the hall, and was just as enthralled with Abby as every other male on their floor. He approached her harboring a similar skillset composed of looks, humor and intelligence and soon enough Abby was hopelessly and helpless in love with him. The rest was history.

That was until Jake died a Tuesday afternoon in August and Abby was left on her own with a seven-year-old and absolutely no idea how the dating world even worked anymore, although she wasn’t too eager to find out. Except then she met Marcus Kane. 

Abby wasn’t too certain what she was doing heading towards the local market in a flowy white sundress with pieces of her hair pulled back from her face and a swipe of lipgloss on her lips. Something was going on between her and Marcus and after her little comment at the end of their beach day a few days prior, Abby was excited to find out what exactly it was. She kept telling herself that the purpose of her venture was to pick up groceries for dinner but if Marcus just so happened to be there, she considered casually bring up the possibility of going to dinner with her on Friday night. And that was the extent to which Abby Griffin knew how to ask someone out on a date.

Now, it just so happened that Arkadia, like every other small town in America, possessed a perpetually single woman who seemed to have no qualms flirting with every breathing male, no matter his relationship status. Bryne Johnson held this title in their little town and Abby had completely forgotten about her until she watched as Bryne stood at the market's register in a strategically low cut blouse, placing her perfectly manicured hand on Marcus's arm, smiling wide and flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. There had always been something about Bryne that made Abby especially uncomfortable even though she could never put her finger on it. Abby typically was not a jealous woman. Jake had always assured her there was no reason to be jealous. And she was confident in herself enough to believe him. But Jake was gone and she'd forgotten what dating was like. So, seeing Bryne flirting so blatantly and Marcus doing nothing to stop it at the exact time Abby was on her way to ask him out on a date, made something inside her snap.

So, Abby walked past the market, resolving instead to get pizza for Clarke and herself for dinner and when Vinnie asked her if she'd thought any more about going on a date with him, in a moment that was not her proudest, she'd said yes.

 

 “Clarke, will you get the door please?" Abby asked her daughter as she clasped the black strap of her high heels. Clarke did as she was told and bounced off the couch, over to the door.

  
Abby quickly examined her appearance in the mirror. She tucked the stray hair that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear and smoothed out any creases on her black dress. She reapplied her lipgloss one more time and went to go greet her date. Abby felt her stomach sink with each step she took. Abby knew it was a mistake to say yes to Vinnie, she realized not long after she agreed, but he was on his way and there was nothing she could do about it without completely ruining their relationship. So, she plastered on a smile and turned the corner to the front door, surprised to see Clarke talking so animatedly to the person behind the door. Abby walked up behind her daughter and felt her heart drop when she realized who was on the other side.

  
 Marcus, Octavia, and Bellamy were standing on her front porch, all smiles and suntanned skin.

  
 "Wow," Marcus breathed as his eyes raked over Abby's figure. Abby felt the blush rise in her cheeks and something stir in the pit of her stomach she hadn’t felt in years.

  
"We wanted to know if you and Clarke wanted to come get ice cream with us," Octavia said.

  
"Please Mom. Can I go with them?" Clarke begged.

“Please Dr. Griffin?” Octavia added. Abby thought for a moment and then complied.

“I’ll text Indra and tell her you will be coming over to her house a little later.”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Clarke wrapped her arms around her mother, bouncing with excitement.

“Thanks Dr. Griffin!” Octavia and Bellamy added in unison.

“I take it you won’t be joining us,” Marcus said to Abby.

“No, unfortunately I won’t be,” Abby replied.

“She’s got a date,” Clarke added.

“I see,” Marcus said. Abby tried to tell herself that she saw something that looked vaguely like disappointment flash across Marcus’s face, but it was gone quicker than it began, leaving Abby to think it was only her imagination. “Well he’s a lucky guy. You look fantastic.”

That Abby definitely did not imagine.

“If you don’t want to handle three kids by yourself I understand. Clarke is headed over to the neighbors anyway.” Abby felt herself start to ramble but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to force her child on a man who was coming over to invite them both out.

“Of course Clarke can still come along. I would never bring up the possibility of ice cream only to take it away a few seconds later. I’m not evil,” Marcus said, earning a small giggle from Clarke, a sound that without fail made Abby’s heart swell.

“Thanks,” Abby replied, locking eyes with Marcus. He was smiling at her in a way that made her heartbeat pound in her ears and send the butterflies in her stomach she had thought disappeared long ago, awaken. He looked good. _Really_ good.  His skin was tanned from their day at the beach and his hair was tousled in a way that made her want to run her fingers through it. The setting sun on the horizon bathed him in a golden glow that made the knowledge that she was going out with another man even worse.

“Am I interrupting something here?” came a voice from behind Marcus. Vinnie was standing in the walkway, flowers in hand, and eyeing the pair with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Both Marcus and Abby were snapped from their reverie and turned to the man that had joined them. Abby hadn’t even seen Vinnie walk up. Her eyes glanced at Vinnie with his slicked back black hair in his red button up shirt and black pants and she thought he looked rather nice compared to the apron he usually wore.

“No, not at all,” Abby said quickly when she realized no one had responded yet. “Marcus, Indra lives two houses down. The one with the red door. Clarke knows which one she can show you. Here Clarke let me give you some money.”  Every word that came out of Abby’s mouth felt like acid on her tongue. This had to be one of the most awkward moments of her entire life. Or at least top ten.

She reached into her purse and took out a few bills, passing them to her daughter and looked at Marcus with an apologetic look in her eye she hoped he understood. Abby watched as Clarke and Octavia quickly ran off the porch, Clarke informing Octavia as to the best ice cream flavors while Bellamy asked a few questions in between her descriptions. Abby’s eyes glanced over to Marcus who was watching his kids interact with the Griffin girl with a look that Abby figured mirrored her own.

“Thanks again,” Abby said to Marcus.

“Anytime,” Marcus replied before following the kids, asking Clarke questions about which ice cream toppings were the best.

Grabbing her bag off the small table in the entryway, Abby closed and locked the door behind her and turned to her date.

“Sorry about that. He’s taking the kids out for ice cream.”

“Wow, that’s nice of him.”

“Yeah, it is.”

***

“Now,” Marcus began as the cool, waffle cone scented air greeted them as they entered the ice cream parlor, “Clarke, you’re in charge.  Lead us on a flavor filled journey. The fate of our taste buds rest in your capable hands. Onward!”

“Weirdo,” Octavia sighed.

“He takes his ice cream very seriously,” Bellamy whispered to Clarke as they crossed the black and white checkered floor to approach the glassed in counter top, where a myriad of flavors ranging from rocky road to cotton candy awaited them.

“Hi Raven,” Clarke said to the teenage brunette standing behind the counter.

“Hey Clarke! It’s been a while. Good to see you again. Who’ve you brought with you?” Raven asked.

“This is Octavia, Marcus and Bellamy,” Clarke responded. Octavia smiled and waved while Bellamy stared with wide eyes at the older woman.

“Well Octavia, Marcus, and Bellamy, welcome to Arkadia, the cutest beach town on the Atlantic. What can I get for you guys?”

“Clarke, our fate rests with you. Order away,” Marcus said, placing all his trust in the ten-year-old. Clarke looked nervous for a second but then took a deep breath and, while on her tiptoes, perused the ice cream options. She knew what to get Octavia. That one was easy. And Bellamy she was pretty sure on. But for Marcus she had no idea.

“Okay, I’m ready. I would like a scoop of cotton candy on a cake cone A scoop of chocolate peanut butter on a sugar cone. A scoop of coffee chip on a sugar cone. And a scoop of plain vanilla in a bowl. Thanks!”

“No problem kiddo,” Raven said scooping out ice cream and passing them off to Clarke. The cotton candy went to Octavia whose face lit up at the sight of the bright blue ice cream. The chocolate peanut butter went to Bellamy who smiled. And the coffee chip went to Marcus, who eyed her curiously but graciously accepted the cone, leaving the plain vanilla for Clarke. Octavia pulled Clarke to a booth while Marcus paid and proceeded to question her on how she knew cotton candy was her favorite ice cream flavor. When Marcus joined them, a somber look was painted across his face.

“Clarke, I’ve got something to tell you. Now you may not like it but…” he paused. Clarke’s nervousness was apparent as she held her breath waiting for him to continue. “You have to come with us every time we get ice cream. I’m sorry but you must. This is delicious.”

Clarke breathed a sigh of relief.

“I was so scared you hated it!”

“It’s coffee and chocolate. How could anyone hate it? How did you decide which one?”

“That’s what my mom gets,” Clarke replied.

At the mention of Abby, Marcus felt a knot in his stomach start to form at the memory that Abby and Vinnie were out on a date at the moment. But he pushed it aside and smiled.

“Well she’s got great taste.”

Marcus finished his ice cream in relative silence while the trio before him jabbered on. He tried listening but the subject of their conversation, something about minions, was lost on him so he thought of Octavia and Bellamy instead. They seemed happy now. Whether it was because of him, Arkadia, or their new friend, Marcus didn’t care. He was just happy to see them smiling. Their lives hadn’t been easy and Marcus knew their move to Arkadia didn’t help that but he was glad to see them adapt so well and find as good a friend as Clarke. 

Clarke seemed to be a lot like her mother, Marcus thought. And when he noticed characteristics that he didn’t see in Abby, Marcus attributed them to the departed Jake Griffin, whom he knew very little about. And once again, despite his best efforts, his thoughts trailed to Abby Griffin and whether she was having a good time on her date. He thought about their dinner at the pizza parlor and tried to remember any heated glances or tangible physical tension between Abby and Vinnie but drew a blank. The knot in Marcus’s stomach returned as he reminisced about their day at the beach. She’d looked so proud when Clarke showed her the sandcastle. Or when Bellamy found a conch shell in perfect condition after he’d fallen off his boogie board (Bellamy left out that last part but Marcus had looked up at just the right moment). He could still hear the sound of her laughter mixed with Octavia’s as they drew stories in the sand.

“Earth to Marcus,” Bellamy said for the third time before Marcus finally snapped from his thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Can Clarke show us around town a little bit?”

“Will Indra mind if you’re a little later?” Marcus asked. When Clarke shook her head no he continued.  “Okay then Clarke lead the way.”

***

As far as dates went, Abby’s date with Vinnie was not the worst one she’d ever been on. Now…it was far from good. Everything was just so _awkward._ Abby had been living in Arkadia for three years and given the size of the town, everyone knew about Vinnie’s little crush on her, so when they were shown their table at The Fish Shack, Abby felt everyone’s eyes on her.

Vinnie was nice. He’d called ahead and reserved them a table even though it wasn’t late enough in June for the place to be crowded, which was thoughtful. They just didn’t have much to talk about. Vinnie told her about how the restaurant was doing. Abby talked about Clarke and the office. But that was it. The rest of the time, the only noise coming from their table was the sound of forks scratching against their plates.

***

“That is the library,” Clarke said pointing to another building as she guided Octavia, Bellamy, and Marcus through Arkadia’s “downtown”. “Mr. Miller is the librarian. He’s awesome and puts out hot chocolate sometimes. That’s Sydney’s Bakery. Mom loves their chocolate chip muffins but I think their cinnamon ones are the best. And there is The Fish Shack.”

Clarke pointed to the glassed-in bar and grill that sat overlooking the Marina. Marcus’s gaze moved towards the restaurant just as Octavia spoke.

“Clarke isn’t that your Mom?”

Marcus squinted and sure enough Abby was sitting in a booth by the window across from her date and was looking out the window right at them. Clarke waved frantically and Abby broke into a grin.

“What’s so funny?” Vinnie asked when he noticed Abby’s change in demeanor. Abby pointed and began laughing as Clarke, Octavia, and Bellamy all began jumping up and down and flailing their arms. Abby caught Marcus’s eye and he smiled, a blush rising in his cheeks and waved. She gave him a small wave back, nothing too grand because she was in a restaurant after all. Marcus then began ushering the kids away, surely under the assumption they were interrupting her date; however, at that point in the evening the conversation between Abby and Vinnie had died down significantly.

“You know what Abby,” Vinnie began when the kids had been ushered away. “I think we should just stay friends. The smiles you’ve been giving me are nothing compared to the smile you just gave that guy.”

Abby felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She knew Vinnie was right. Despite her best efforts, Abby’s thoughts drifted to Marcus multiple times during the evening. She thought of the afternoon he scared her while she was taking inventory and how it’d been so long since someone made her laugh. She thought of their day at the beach and how he was so patient with Clarke and how well they worked together. She thought of how much he made Octavia laugh and of the moment Bellamy soaked him. Particularly she thought of the event afterward and had to take a few sips of her water at the memory.

“I think friends is perfect,” Abby said.

“I’ll have a pepperoni pizza waiting for you next time you come by.”

“Sounds great.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one week? Who am I?

There was no one in the world quite like Jake Griffin. Something about him made everyone fall in love with him. When he was growing up his mother always said it was his charm. His father always said it was his wit. His grandfather said it was the hair. But there was one simple truth and that was no one in the world loved Jake Griffin as much as his wife and daughter. Clarke idolized her father. And every day, Abby fell more and more in love with him. When she got the phone call from the police informing her of his accident, her first thought was _how long will it take for him to recover_. Because Abby could not imagine a world without Jake Griffin.

Clarke did not speak for two months after Jake’s funeral. She would only doodle in the sketchbook he got her and nod when her mother asked important questions. The silence drove Abby mad. She was unsure if she could handle losing her husband. There was absolutely no way she would let herself lose her daughter too. So, one afternoon, Abby quit her job at the hospital and told Clarke to pack and bag and get in the car.

They drove for hours. Arkadia was meant to be a quick bathroom break and then they would get back on their way to Florida where the sun would melt their sadness away. But Florida never came. When Abby heard Clarke mutter _wow_ upon seeing the quaint seaside town she knew there would be no more driving that day. Abby attributed it to fate that the local doctor was planning on retiring at the end of the month and she could start work immediately. So, Abby and Clarke spent the night in Arkadia’s only bed and breakfast before settling on a house and calling the town home.

Abby, as she walked up her neighbor’s driveway after an excruciatingly boring dinner date, couldn’t help but think that her life in Arkadia would have happened if it weren’t for Indra. Indra was the first person Clarke and Abby met in Arkadia and definitely not the nicest. There was a seriousness to Indra and an honesty Abby admired. Their quick and surprisingly easy conversation solidified Abby’s notion that Arkadia was special.

When Abby knocked on the bright red door of Indra’s house, two faces greeted her. Both familiar, one surprising. Lincoln, Indra’s eldest and Bellamy’s equal in age, gave Abby a small smile before turning to Octavia who was standing right beside him. Before Abby had the opportunity to say hello or even smile back, the duo, without saying anything retreated into the house. Indra quickly replaced their presence and ushered Abby into the house where battle cries could be heard from all directions.

“War has broken out in our household,” Indra informed Abby as she led her into the kitchen.

“It sounds like it. Who’s winning?”

“Trikru I believe,” Marcus said from where he was perched on a stool in the kitchen, a glass of red wine in hand. Seeing him made Abby’s heart…swell? Sink? Quite frankly, she wasn’t sure what her heart did but she knew it did something. A part of her (most of her) was excited to see Marcus. But another part (the annoying part) reminded her that she had just been out on a date with another man and he knew all about it. Nevertheless, she smiled and took the seat next to him, let Indra pour her a glass of wine, and pretended nothing was different.

“So, who’s Trikru?” Abby asked after taking a few sips to calm her nerves.

“Lincoln, Octavia, and Gaia,” Indra replied.

“Skaikru is Clarke, Bellamy and Lexa,” Marcus added.

“How did this happen?” Abby asked gesturing to the two of them.

“We came over to drop Clarke off—“ Marcus started.

“And then Octavia caught sight of Lincoln and insisted they stay for a bit,” Indra finished.

“Uh-oh Marcus. It sounds like Octavia’s got a crush,” Abby said nudging him playfully. Marcus’s eyes grew wide and his face visibly paled, stirring a laugh out of both Abby and Indra.

“She’s still too young for that right?” Marcus looked at both women frantically, causing them both to laugh even harder.

“Sorry my friend,” Indra said doing her best to be sympathetic. Marcus, with a sigh, buried his head in his hands, completely unsure of how to treat a girl with a crush. “Now speaking of crushes, Abby. How was the date?”

Abby’s heart sank. She was praying to avoid any and all conversation that involved how she had just spent the last hour and a half but her prayers went unanswered. She knew Indra would press the issue if she didn’t give an answer but Abby still couldn’t help the feelings of guilt that emerged when she glanced over at Marcus.

First, Indra noticed Marcus, whose head had perked up, visibly tense and, if it was possible, grow paler. She then caught a glimpse of Abby’s eyes flitting to Marcus and immediately knew her question unleashed some tension but pretended to know nothing of the sort.

“It didn’t go well,” Abby said finally. Indra watched as the tension in Marcus’s shoulders released. Indra fought the smile that threatened to form on her lips. He had it bad.

“How so?” Marcus asked, attempting to mask the excitement in his voice.

“It was just awkward.” _Not as awkward as right now._ “Everyone was watching and we just didn’t have anything to talk about,” Abby said.

“No second date?” Indra asked.

“Definitely no second date,” Abby replied, glancing over at Marcus.

He was going to smile. He couldn’t help it. He was going to smile. Marcus was absolutely trying his best not to smile but as he stared into Abby’s chocolate eyes he felt the corners of his mouth turn up against his will.

Just then, a roar of what sounded like victory cries erupted. Six children came barreling down the steps, three with wide grins across their faces, three without.

“Judging by your faces, I take it Trikru won?” Marcus asked.

“Yeah we did!” Octavia exclaimed, receiving high-fives from both Lincoln and Gaia. Skaikru’s frowns became more prominent.

“We demand a rematch,” Bellamy announced and Clarke and Lexa agreed.

“That will have to be another time. We’ve imposed on Ms. Indra’s hospitality enough. And it’s time for bed,” Marcus said. Octavia opened her mouth to argue but Marcus’s face grew stern and she knew it was best to keep quiet. Marcus ushered his kids to the door, each of them sad to go. Abby and Clarke were close behind, both letting out long yawns on their way out the door. Marcus could help but notice how similar they looked. That was broken when Clarke raced to catch up with Bellamy and Octavia, and Marcus, noticing he was no longer wanted, lagged back with Abby.

“I think my feet are going to fall off,” Abby sighed. Marcus’s eyes glanced down at her feet, taking an appreciative look at her legs as he did so.

“I never understood why women wear heels if they made their feet hurt so much.”

“They make our legs look so great, a little pain is worth it,” Abby informed him.

“But your legs always look great,” Marcus said, still confused. Then his eyes went wide. Abby, thankfully, didn’t notice. She had turned her head so that he wouldn’t see the blush rising in her cheeks. Marcus hadn’t meant to say that out loud. He _really_ hadn’t meant to say that out loud. But not because he didn’t believe it. Marcus did believe it wholeheartedly. But he and Abby were in unfamiliar territory and Marcus did not want to jeopardize their friendship or their children’s friendship by revealing he was hot for her and for his feelings to not be reciprocated.

Marcus scrambled to find a way to recover while Abby was doing her best to control the grin that threatened to blossom on her face. She liked him. She knew that much. But did he like her? Abby thought he did. And if his face when he saw her earlier that evening was any indication, then he liked her very much.

“Thanks,” was all Abby could seem to whisper but she offered up a smile as well in the hopes of conveying that she truly meant it. It was that small smile that gave Marcus the courage he needed.

“Abby,” he started and paused. Marcus stopped walking and Abby followed suit. The children carried on, oblivious. Abby looked as Marcus, clearly concerned. She was about to ask what was wrong when Marcus resumed speaking. “I’m glad your date didn’t go well.”

“Me too,” Abby replied. Marcus looked at her with such relief, Abby couldn’t help but smile. He was staring at her with an intensity Abby hadn’t seen from him before and she felt herself grow warm beneath the heat of his gaze. The sun was setting in the distance, casting them both in a golden glow. The rays of sun bounced off Abby’s hair and she looked breathtaking. Marcus brought a hand up to brush away a stray hair that had escaped Abby’s ponytail and she relished in the feeling of his skin against hers. His eyes flicked to her lips and he couldn’t help but notice the distance between them. Slowly, Marcus began moving to close that space.

“Are they gonna make out?” Octavia asked Clarke and her older brother, her voice carrying down the empty street. Marcus and Abby ripped away from one another as if they had been burned. The two adults looked guiltily at the kids standing two driveways down before moving to join them.

“I think they heard you,” Clarke said to Octavia who was looking at Abby and Marcus with a grin that said she had predicted their relationship from the beginning.

“Clarke, say goodbye to Bellamy and Octavia,” Abby instructed when she and Marcus rejoined the trio.

“We already said bye,” Clarke informed her mother. “You were busy.”

Abby’s face felt like it was on fire and when she looked over at Marcus for support, he looked like he was doing his best not to burst out laughing.

“Very well then,” Abby said, doing her best to remain composed. “Let’s get inside. Goodnight Marcus.”

“Goodnight Abby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make my day!


End file.
